The United States truly stands on the cusp of an exciting and monumental challenge. A $64 billion hole in its tourism industry awaits, due mostly to the Covid-caused nosedive of international visitors. Increased border controls and stricter immigration enforcement are making it harder for people to migrate and contributing to this decline. It’s the travelers from Western Europe and Canada who are feeling the most pinch. Nonetheless, Tourism Economics has revised its forecast downward for visits to the U.S. This year, they expect that to be down 9%, a huge turnaround from the earlier forecast of a 5% increase.
The recent turnaround in travel advisories from a number of countries has brought this momentous change to the forefront of public consciousness. The Danish Foreign Ministry advises travelers with the new gender designation “X” on their passports to register themselves with the U.S. embassy in advance. Do not skip this crucial detail prior to your departure! Like that notice, Finland’s notice sounded a welcoming tone, informing trans travelers who have transitioned to a new gender that they might encounter entry complications. Germany, too, has revised its travel advisory to warn travelers that they may be arrested or detained for violating entry requirements.
The positive effect of these policies is already starting to be seen in Canada’s travel statistics. In February, the number of Canadians crossing back by land from the U.S. fell by about 90%. That’s a drop of 23% from the same month last year. To make matters worse, air traffic from our friend Canada to the U.S. was down a whopping 13% during that time too. These numbers amplify the trend of more international travelers being discouraged from coming to the U.S.
Pedro Rios, director of the American Friends Service Committee, criticized the spike in detainments at U.S. borders.
“It’s definitely unusual with these cases so close together, and the rationale for detaining these people doesn’t make sense,” said Rios.
Many other Western travelers have been turned away at U.S. borders. The denial frequently occurs on what seem to be capricious bases as a component of the Administration’s immigration rollback. Of particular note, three German citizens were arrested and imprisoned for long periods of time with no clear evidence of any violation of visa or immigration law. The events have sparked sharp criticism over the way travelers are being treated. According to reports, some have been shackled and kept in deplorable conditions for weeks.
In a piece exploring the macroeconomic effect of such policies, T4A president Adam Sacks remarked that, “ …
“You’re looking at a much weaker economic engine than what otherwise would’ve been, not just because of tariffs, but the rhetoric and condescending tone around it.”
And in another high-profile example, Canadian actor was handcuffed and expeditiously removed from the state to a detention center. There, she had to spend several weeks in what she described as “inhumane conditions” even though she had committed no crime. This tragic incident illustrates the increasing clampdown at U.S. borders. Consequently, tourism is suffering an unprecedented collapse.
Neri Karra Sillaman highlighted the uncertainties faced by travelers.
“Even if you get a visa, you have the risk of being detained or to be denied,” noted Sillaman.